Back To School

Going back to school Monday was weird. Very eloquent, right? It's not the norm to have the chief of police and 2 other officers at the front door welcoming the teachers and students. It's not the norm to see them around the school all day (although, I enjoyed talking to them). It's not the norm to have a school play dress rehearsal and check out every person who comes in to see if they might be carrying a gun (or was that just me checking everyone out?). It's not normal to walk into a classroom and look around for the best place to hide the kids, if something horrid ever happened. This was how my day went on Monday.

Yet, the blogosphere suggested writing about teacher's this week. To celebrate their very being. I cannot say enough about how teachers' care for their students. It does not surprise me in the least about the heroic things the teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School did. It's what we do. We love our students like they are part of our family. Trust me, there are days when you don't have the patience for some students' behaviors, but, bottom line, you do whatever you can do for them.

My elementary school was a warm, loving, caring place where I made friends, learned and loved my teachers. It was a K-6 school with a principal who had a large jar of jelly beans on his desk. My teachers (who all rocked by the way) were as follows:

1st grade: Mrs. Popolizio

2nd grade: Mrs Lund with Mrs Rose as her maternity leave substitute

3rd grade: Mrs. Kostro

4th grade: Mrs. Johnson

5th grade: Mr. Osmond

6th grade: Mr. Byam

I have no doubt that they would have protected us during any horrific event. However, back then, we didn't have lock down drills, we didn't have police officers roaming the halls and all the doors were wide open. I am pretty sure it wasn't all sunshiny like I remember, but I do know that learning about menstrual cycles in sixth grade was the scariest thing that happened while I was there.

Are intercoms on the front doors and locking all the other doors a change in the right direction? I guess it is in the world we live in now. I do miss the "olden days", though.